The ASAP MIS Software Will Allow You to Prepare a File of Assessment Data From

ASAP_MIS Instructions

Download the ASAP_MIS program (either for DOS or Windows).

- FTP Site - ASAP Program - ASAP_MIS

Windows:

Save the file MIS_install.exe to your Desktop or in a temporary directory.

After you have saved the file, double left-click to decompress the files to your \CAPP directory.You may need to change the default folder from (A:) to the correct drive ASAP.exe resides.For example: If your ASAP program is on the C: drive then unzip this to the C:\CAPP folder asthe destination folder to extract the files to.Both the directories (ASAP_MIS and MIS_err) should be copied directly over to the \CAPP folderwhere the ASAP.exe file is located. Afterwards, you may need to create a shortcut to the ASAP_MIS.exe now located in your \CAPP\ASAP_MIS directory.

Dos:

Use a PC that has Window’s to create the DOS install floppy. Download

MIS_install.exe from the website. Save the file onto your Window’s Desktop.

Double left click on the file to start the procedure. Extract the files to your

floppy disk. The program will look for you’re A:> drive as a default. If A:

is correct, then select ‘Unzip’, if not enter your floppy drive: then ‘Unzip’.

After this is done, take the floppy to your CAPP machine and run

DOS_MIS.bat by typing ‘DOS_MIS’ at the A:> (prompt). Tell the program

which drive CAPP resides (or ASAP.exe). This will install the MIS reporting

program. You will have to run the program manually by typing ASAP_MIS

from within the \CAPP\ASAP_MIS directory. Or, you can make a shortcut to theASAP_mis.exe located in the \CAPP\ASAP_MIS\ directory.

This will install the MIS reporting program.

The ASAP_MIS software will allow you to prepare a file of assessment data from the CAPP-ASAP database system that is formatted to meet the M.I.S. reporting requirements in California for the Student Assessment Record.

The ASAP_MIS software can be run from the \CAPP\ASAP_MIS directory by typing ASAP_MIS and <Enter>. Before a file can be prepared, three items from the setup menu need to be performed:

1)Enter the District-College-Identifier for your college (Use the attached Appendix A)

2)Enter the State codes for all approved tests (Use the attached Appendix I).

3)Enter the default Accommodations and Purposes that you desire posted to records that currently have empty accommodation and purpose fields.

Notes: a) The tests and scores that are listed in the ASAP_MIS software are the tests/scores available to the ASAP program in the current testing period. ASAP's name of each test/score and 3 byte code are given. You need to determine which of these tests/scores are on the approved list (Appendix I) and enter the appropriate state's 4 digit state code. It is possible that some, possibly many, of the tests and scores listed will not have state codes. The final Student Assessment file produced will only include records for tests or scores for which codes are entered.

b) You will be asked later in the software if you wish to post default accommodation and purpose (A & P) codes when the assessment database file is being built. If you respond yes (recommended), then the defaults entered on the setup menu for a give test will be used in every A & P field that is currently empty for that test. Many colleges have been gathering A & P data for a while, and this data will not be overwritten by the defaults assigned. Only empty A & P fields will be give the default values. The same default values, of course, will be given to each student record of a given test type, so editing will need to occur for any A & P codes that differ from these default for specific student records.

c) The purpose coded 'R' (retest) should probably not be of concern at this stage. You will later be given the option to "compute" the retest purpose code. If you chose yes to this option (recommended), then the software will replace all 'I' codes (initial placement) with 'R' codes (retest) for those student records which are matching on student id and test code, but are taken at a later date in the reporting period. It is assumed that assessment records for the same student taking the same test on a different (later) date constitute a retest for that student. If this is not the case at your college, you should not select the retest computation option presented later in the ASAP_MIS software.

Once the software is setup, you can select the option Add Data to the Assessment Database. The Assessment Database will be a first stage for the preparation of the Student Assessment File. Data added to the database can be viewed and edited. Once is it ready, then the Student Assessment File can be produced in an appropriate form from the Assessment Database.

When adding data to the Assessment Database, you need to answer the following questions/options:

1)Enter the year for the Term-Identifier. For the reporting period of July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000, you should enter 00.

2)Select all testing periods from ASAP that you want to search. All tagged testing periods will be searched for all test/scores records which have state codes and that have dates that fall in the identified reporting period.

3)Select all tests (from the list of those which you added codes in the setup) that you want to include. You will likely tag all from the list. (Note that F8 tags all).

4)Chose Yes or No to the option of posting default A & P values to empty A & P fields. See above note for explanation.

5)Chose Yes or No to the option of computing 'R' (retest) purpose code. See above note for explanation.

The program will then build an assessment database based on the selected options.

After the Assessment Database has been created, you can browse this database with the option of editing any field. You can edit a field by pressing <Enter>. The only fields likely to require any editing are the Accommodation field, and that will only be true if accommodation data for specific student had not been kept up to date in the ASAP software. There are several tools in the browse/edit routine that are available to assist in quickly finding records that may require editing. Here are some:

a) You can search the current indexed field (i.e. student id) for a specific value by pressing F2.

b) You can change the index field from student id to student name (full), etc., by pressing ALT-I.

c) You can isolate a specific subset of records by pressing ALT-S.

d) You can lock (from scrolling off the screen) a selected number of fields to the left by pressing ALT-L. With these tools available, you should be able to quickly locate student records with fields that you need to review or edit.

Once the database had been prepared and , as necessary, edited, then the M.I.S. Student Assessment File can be prepared. The program will prepare the file in the exact format required for the state. A default file name will be assigned, but this can be changed. An edit report prepared by the California Community College Chancellor's Office will also be run. You are give the option to print the report. If possible, do so in order to identify any errors in the file. If there are errors, please let us (CAPP) know so that we can assist you if 'fixing' the problem and possibly building in further checks into the software to print such errors in the future.